Heat's James focused on championship ring

It's 1 thing he hasn't accomplished, and now he's going to the NBA Finals

May 27, 2011|By Fred Mitchell, Tribune reporter

LeBron James never has lacked confidence, just an NBA championship ring.

The two-time NBA MVP took another step closer to earning one Thursday night when he led the Heat to an 83-80 comeback victory over the Bulls to capture the Eastern Conference finals.

"That's my only goal," James said. "I am focused and I am determined to get it, and I am not letting anyone stand in front of me."

James registered a game-high 28 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, two blocked shots and three steals. On defense he was able to help stifle Derrick Rose in the fourth quarter.

"We just saw our body language change," James said of the comeback.

"I don't even know what happened. I don't remember all the plays," said Dwyane Wade, who scored 10 fourth-quarter points.

Wade, who has been nursing a sore shoulder, had nine turnovers, but managed to help bail out his team in the end.

"I am a person who really believes that other people bring you confidence," he said.

James said it isn't that he gets particularly pumped to guard Rose, who was 9-for-29 from the field.

"I'm just driven because this is the Eastern Conference finals," he said. "It doesn't matter who I'm on. I believe my ability defensively can contain anyone. I take a lot of pride defensively, whether I am on Derrick Rose or Joakim Noah or Luol Deng or whoever the case may be."

The Bulls took a 67-55 lead with 3 minutes 14 seconds left when James, Wade and company really went to work.

"This game is a little bit emblematic of a lot of things we've gone through this season," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "There hasn't been a whole lot that has been normal or traditional."

In the three previous Heat victories, veterans Chris Bosh, Udonis Haslem, Mike Miller and James were able to close out the Bulls in crunch time. Thursday night it was Wade and James.

"The best team that night wins; that's what it's about," James said. "The close-out games are the toughest ones, especially when it's in somebody else's building."